Community School Model Paper

“When we can predict how well students will do in school by looking at their zip code, we know we have a serious systemic problem” (Gloria Ladson-Billings 20). When we are able to forecast how a child will perform by where the child resides, then how can we say that every child is receiving quality education. The unsuccessful educational system infused into the United States is affecting the majority of minorities. In the United States students due to their race and social class, suffer from underfunded public schools, inexperienced teachers, and housing segregation, which in turn inhibit their opportunity to succeed through education. These difficulties plaque students from the very beginning of their public school experience and follow them throughout their academic life. There are a few solutions to these issues but they have to be implemented and enforced with a slow integration.

As Mayor of Springfield, I will encounter a multitude of issues while trying to make this community healthier. One of the largest challenges is making sure that all people are able to receive a decent education. This problem was illustrated in the book when Wes Moore’s mother paid a large sum of money in order to send him to a more prestigious school. The schooling in his community did not seem to have teachers that wanted to teach the children or believed that they could succeed in going to college or receiving a job later in life. It is essential for our community to have good public schooling, so that even those in poverty can learn just as much and as well as those who are more wealthy.

In this detailed and shocking book, Jonathan Kozol describes the horrific and unjust conditions in which many children in today’s society are forced to get their education. Kozol discusses three major reasons for the discrepancies in America’s schools today: disparities of property taxes, racism, and the conflict between state and local control. The first of these reasons is that of the differences of available property tax revenues. Kozol discusses the inconsistencies in property tax revenues and the problem that the poorer districts aren’t getting the same opportunities for education as the more affluent neighborhoods. He says the reason for this is that the

America’s school system and student population remains segregated, by race and class. The inequalities that exist in schools today result from more than just poorly managed schools; they reflect the racial and socioeconomic inequities of society as a whole. Most of the problems of schools boil down to either racism in and outside the school or financial disparity between wealthy and poor school districts. Because schools receive funding through local property taxes, low-income communities start at an economic disadvantage. Less funding means fewer resources, lower quality instruction and curricula, and little to no community involvement. Even when low-income schools manage to find adequate funding, the money doesn’t solve all the school’s

1. Public school districts in urban areas face unreasonable obstacles to providing a quality education for low-income students. A funding mix of federal, state, and local funds can lead to many urban districts receiving less funding per student than suburban districts. Students in urban districts need more resources due to significantly lower household incomes and household education levels. Many cities face an increasing number of for profit charter schools that reduce student population without providing a higher quality education. State funding in Ohio severely penalizes districts with shrinking populations, so the rising number of charter schools hurts public districts. The best way to tackle this issue is to change state education funding to help districts that need it the most. Basing state funding more on average house pricing or family income instead of population growth and standardized testing could help equalize education quality. Changing funding metrics and

The New Jersey State Department of Education received government, state, and local funding for youths ages 5-17, as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. The question is; how can the states revise and disperse the amount of funding allocated for after-school programs for the current number of children enrolled? How can we raise awareness about the higher enrollment after-school programs offered for children of all ages? The current data shows the ratio of children enrolled versus the number of children not enrolled, offset the amount of dispersed funds, and varies state to state. The New Jersey Department of education allocates the funded money towards after-school programs housed at public schools with a high enrollment rate while other states do not. This leaves a huge gap in society with not enough funds creatively used towards youth programs. Children of all ages should have access to an after- school educational program and support from within their community. Common motivational goals set forth in the evaluation for this program are, for children to receive the enhancement of moral values, equality, and diversity through after-school educational programs within their local school districts. This evaluation is based on the logic model format and designed to meet the needs and demands assessment criteria. Weighing the outcome of an economical developed society in which graduation rates will increase. While, in past the government started

I. Introduction – The Montgomery Education Foundation is a foundation centered around bettering the public-school system. The Montgomery County overall report card score is a 79/C. Montgomery County needs teacher quality, parental /community involvement, funding & overall student achievement to raise the lingering “C” to an “A”. Public schools have a disadvantage when it comes to funding. According to https://www.washingtonpost.com/news, recent research, has found that when schools have more money, they are able to give their students a better education.

Berks County, Pennsylvania Community Health Needs Assessment. (January, 2013). Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved from http://www.uwberks.org/wwwpub/assets/base/ pdf/Commu

Communities and educators are seeking programs like Charter and Magnet Schools, in place of the traditional public school setting. Charter Schools allow teachers and a local school board to determine decisions regarding education. Likewise, the teachers and the local school board are also held accountable, in regards to student performance. In regards to magnet schools, students are given an opportunity to learn through themes. Henceforth, these themes are usually centered on the talents of the students. For example, a magnet school could be designed around performing arts. The School-Within-A-School is similar to the magnet school idea. Consequently, these alternative school programs allow students to learn through their individual interests. However, there are other forms of alternative programs. Multi-Aged Classrooms is designed based on the layout of the school. In a Multi-Aged Classroom setting, students are not grouped according to their age, but are grouped based on developmental stages. Therefore, all students are grouped in one classroom with numerous teachers. The students receive one on one instruction. Therefore, the instructional process is delivered based on the needs of a particular student. Another aspect of alternative programs deals with the economic and the environment of the school. In a School/ Community Economic Development the primary focus is on the local economy. The students work with municipal planners, research spending patterns, and start-up of student businesses. In the Community-Based School, the school draws on the local environment as a way to make abstract concepts and textbooks lessons more meaningful. Finally, the last alterative program is the Year-Round School idea. This approach is designed to keep students in school longer durations of time with short breaks in between. Although the year round school can vary, research has suggested that student

In NYC, access to after-school programs remains a problem for many children especially those from low-income/unstable families due to the lack of funding by the government. After school programs are slowly diminishing in the city and many people are not interested in reviving them. Over the years, many people have downplayed afterschool programs and their benefits to children especially those that come from low-income/unstable families. The social development of children from unstable backgrounds could greatly improve by the promotion and valuation of afterschool programs. They offer activities, memories, and a sense of community all of which these kids need to excel and gear away from the negativity that surrounds them.

In the United States and developed countries around the world, it is generally accepted that schools play a tremendous role in the lives of children, youth, and families in urban, rural, and suburban communities with populations of widely varying socioeconomic resources. However; in some communities there seems to be a clear need to provide more program support for organizations, and to provide programs and services for hours outside the parameters of the school day. In these communities, “at-risk” child and youth populations and their families require more from the agencies and organizations that strive to serve the needs of the public in education, health, and

Full-service community schools are based on two principles, “that the purpose of schooling is to educate youth for democratic citizenship, and that schools and communities are inextricably intertwined and interdependent (Benson, Harkavy, Johanek, & Pucket, 2009, p. 22).” The idea of a full-service school is not new and has been around for more than 100 years. Inspiration for today’s version of a full-service school can be traced to 1889, when Jane Addams built the Hull House in Chicago, based on Victorian-era settlement houses. Addams’ program focused on art, recreational activities, kindergarten programs, visiting nurses, and college extension courses, for the mainly working-class, immigrant neighborhood. Addams believed that social problems were interconnected and could only be solved with a holistic approach (Benson, et. al., 2009).

Meeting the general standards that constitute sufficient public education is a continuing urban challenge for many cities. Of particular interest is the city of Detroit, who’s deteriorating school buildings have become a national focus in recent years. The public education system in Detroit has continued to disappoint, and stands as a strong example of some the problems with public education that inner-city residents face. However, is it the inner-city itself that is the cause of the problem? Or a host of other institutional and social factors related to city life? In part, we can answer this question by comparing and contrasting Detroit’s urban school district with Johnston Iowa’s suburban school district.

For decades now, there have been educational problems in the inner city schools in the United States. The schools inability to teach some students relates to the poor conditions in the public schools. Some of the conditions are the lack of funds that give students with the proper supplies, inexperienced teachers, inadequate resources, low testing scores and the crime-infested neighborhoods. These conditions have been an issue for centuries, but there is nothing being done about it. Yet, state and local governments focus on other priorities, including schools with better academics. It is fair to say that some schools need more attention than other does. However, when schools have no academic problems then the attention should be focused

Schools boards are important to the four pillars of democracy. By letting a student under the age of 16 go to school no matter their gender, religion, or culture, the school board practices: justice, equity, and freedom. Justice is shown when the school board shows that it respects any gender, culture or religion. School boards do not ban anyone that has a “different” gender, religion or culture. Everyone is welcomed and wanted. The school board makes policies to make sure that educational standards are met by teachers and they reflect the community’s values. They also make justice by creating rules that the teachers, students, and administration have to follow. The school board allows policy to be debated and decisions can be appealed. They